The Birmingham City Council on Tuesday passed an ordinance to increase the minimum wage to $10.10 over the next two years.

The city's legal department is reviewing the ordinance. Were it to take effect, the increase is believed to be the first of its kind in the Southeast U.S.

Council President Johnathan Austin submitted the ordinance, which proposes first increasing the minimum wage to $8.50 in July 2016 and again to $10.10 in July 2017.

"We're just trying to do what we think is best for our citizens and our workers," he said.

Along with Austin, six other council members - Lashunda Scales, Kim Rafferty, William Parker, Jay Roberson, Steven Hoyt and Marcus Lundy - voted in favor of the minimum wage increase.

Councilwoman Valerie Abbott abstained from the vote, voicing concerns about passing the ordinance before hearing an opinion from the law department.

"We want to make a wise decision... and help people," Abbott said before the vote. "Is anyone looking at this to determine possible repercussions?"

She also noted that the law department is only reviewing the legality of the decision and said someone needs to study the possible repercussions of raising the minimum wage in the city.

"We don't want those unintended consequences that we often suffer when we rush to do something to make people happy," Abbot said.

Councilwoman Lashunda Scales said the current council has been consistent about ensuring everyone in the city makes a decent wage.

"We can't have a progressive city and low-wage jobs," she said.

Last month, several dozen people, including many minimum-wage workers, rallied outside City Hallafter a council meeting to show support for an ordinance requiring all businesses within the city and those contracted through the city to raise the minimum wage.

Alabama doesn't have a minimum wage law, meaning the standard is the federal floor of $7.25. An employee who works full-time - many jobs are 20-30 hours a week - makes about $15,000 per year.

City council members have remained receptive to the increase, but they sent the proposal to the legal department for review. The legal department requested 30 to 60 days to review and has not yet given feedback on the issue.

Across the country, workers have been advocating minimum wage increases as part of the Fight for $15 campaign. Other cities like Seattle and Los Angeles have already enacted the $15 minimum wage.

In April, a rally was held outside the McDonald's on University Boulevard, followed by another event in June. The ralliers were part of the Fight for $15 movement, which seeks a $15 an hour wage for fast food workers.